Christmas Exterior Decorations Viewed From Inside

Christmas wreaths on iron driveway gates, front doors, and windows are beautiful to see as you drive by or attend a party at a friend's house during the holidays. I love seeing fresh garlands, Willamsburg-style fruit decorations, and lighted trees in yards. It IS a wonderful time of the year when houses are decorated on the outside.  

All of those beautiful exterior decorations are visible to people looking at houses from outside the house. What about looking FROM INSIDE the house? Can you see your exterior Christmas decorations when you are inside looking out? Chances are you cannot. 

This year, create some exterior Christmas decorations visible to everyone inside your house as they look out glass doors and windows. Every time you pass by the window or door, you can glimpse a little Christmas that will make your heart glad and experience a little French 

joie de vivre 

Live Christmas Tree Buying Tips

FIVE Tips for Buying Live Christmas Trees 

Fresh live Christmas trees usually go on sale in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex around the day after Thanksgiving. I was a little surprised and a lot excited to see live Fraser Fir trees for sale at the local Lowe's the Sunday BEFORE Thanksgiving. 

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation. Then on Friday, find your perfect live Christmas tree. 

New Deck Features

NEW DECK FEATURES 

Plan to make a new deck special 

Replacing an old worn out deck gives every house a facelift. Adding small special features gives joie de vivre (joy of living)! With just a little planning on your part and a LOT of discussion with the deck builder, your basic new deck can have special SMALL design features that do not cost much. 

The keys are planning, discussion, and sketches for your ideas. 

Here's the story of rejuvenating the area out my back door and of building a new deck for the area. 

Maybe you will find a few ideas to spark design features for a new deck at your house. 

Christmas Potting Bench First Look

A potting bench full of Christmas greenery makes a porch an inviting place during the holiday season. Friends and family love seeing touches of Christmas all through the house, inside and out. Paperwhites are favorite winter flowers that gardner's dream about for their greenhouses, conservatories, garden sheds, and potting benches. 

First Look at a Christmas Potting Bench 

Fall New Red Oak Tree

Funny how the mind works. How memory works. Some images are burned into my memory, lovingly cherished or sadly remembered. Then there are the memories easily supplanted with new ones to take their place.... 

A New Red Oak Tree 

has surprisingly made the thoughts of losing two big old oak trees easier to bear.